The Commander's Daughter Read online

  A soft scream escaped her when he wrapped his lips around one tight nipple to suckle strongly. Melody wrapped her arms around his head to hold him to her, as he thrust two fingers into her still rippling sheath.

  He continued to pump his fingers in and out of her in an increasingly strong rhythm as his thumb once again strummed across her tight little clit, his other hand never ceasing his delicious torment of her breasts.

  Melody began emitting little mewling sounds of need as the heat in her body tightened to an almost unbearable level. When he curved his fingers inward in a come-hither motion, stroking them across the rough patch of skin just inside, she came, screaming his name.

  This time Liam cuddled her close, his hands now soothing rather than arousing as Melody came back to herself. “You are so beautiful when you come apart in my arms; it is a sight I will never tire of, little mate.”

  Melody blinked up at him in confusion. “I don’t understand what just happened.”

  “You’re my mate, Melody. Your body knows mine and recognizes this even if you aren’t ready to here,” he said softly, pressing fingers still damp with her juices to her forehead.

  As she watched him, he put his fingers into his mouth and sucked them clean with obvious relish. Though she blushed with embarrassment, Melody felt another surge of moisture flood the still throbbing area between her legs.

  Melody began to blink rapidly as tears once again filled her eyes, this time from the confusion of the overwhelming passion consuming her.

  “Shhh, shhhh, don’t worry, little mate, all will be well. You had many lessons to learn tonight it was a lot to take in and you’re tired.” Liam comforted her much like he would have a child before helping her back into her clothes. She hissed as her jeans were pulled up over her very sore bottom.

  Melody was even more mortified to realize throughout everything he didn’t even have a button undone on his shirt.

  “Come, I must get you home,” Liam said, helping her to sit on the back of the bike.

  She immediately jumped up with a whimper. “I can’t sit! It hurts.”

  “You will sit, young lady. Feeling the results of the spanking is part of the correction. You will think about how you could have behaved differently every time you sit for the next day or so and hopefully think before you act out next time.” The stern-faced man looking down at her now was so different from the one who’d been bringing her such pleasure a few minutes before.

  Melody glared up at him before dropping her gaze back to the seat in front of her. It seemed Liam had decided to ignore this little tantrum as he simply buckled her helmet into place and climbed on the bike in front of her.

  When she showed no signs of putting her arms around him to hold on, Liam turned to her. “You will hold on to me, little mate, unless of course you feel the need to return to the bench for another lesson on obedience?”

  She immediately wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her face against his back so she didn’t have to look at him.

  * * *

  Liam did not care for his little mate’s tendency to try to hide her face from him when things didn’t go her way. That was something they would work on in the future. Now that he knew how in tune her body was with his own, he felt a lot more confident in his ability to make her happy. Their bond would only grow stronger once he claimed her and they were fully mated.

  The return trip seemed to be accomplished even more quickly. Liam barely had the bike stopped before Melody was off and running into the house.

  “Melody!” he called after her, following his mate inside. She froze at the bottom of the stairs, but didn’t turn back toward him.

  “Is it not proper to say goodnight when a date brings you home?” he asked her back.

  Melody turned on the step to glare at him. “I wouldn’t know; I’ve never been on one. Tell you what, I’ll get a few scheduled with the men in town and let you know how we say goodbye.”

  Liam was in front of her in an instant once again, cupping her sore bottom and lifting her to eye level. “I would not recommend this course of action.”

  “Of course not; you will beat me into submission once again!” she huffed.

  “Yes, I would indeed paddle your bottom crimson, but the men who dared touch you? Them I would kill.”

  He watched as a small shiver went through her frame.

  “I wouldn’t r-really have…” she stammered, obviously horrified by his response.

  “This I know, little mate, but such childish threats will not be tolerated. In the future, if you act like a child you will be treated as one.” Liam set her back on her feet, then kissed her deeply; it was difficult to stop as he burned to possess her, especially after denying himself at the park. He took a deep breath before turning her back toward the stairs with two hard swats to her still burning seat. “You are to go straight to bed, young lady. I will come to see that I’ve been obeyed.”

  He watched as she scurried up the stairs, clearly anxious to get away from him.

  Chapter Five

  Afraid of the dark feelings Liam seemed capable of stirring within her, Melody had feigned sleep when he had come to her room the night before. She hadn’t been ready to face him again without a lot of thought and reflection. She was sure Liam knew she was only pretending, but for whatever reason, he had allowed her the pretense for the moment, as if he knew she was confused by the passion between them.

  Melody knew she would have to put some barriers in place to resist the allure of Liam’s lovemaking; all she needed was to actually make the mistake of falling in love with a man who could never return the sentiment.

  Liam didn’t seem to have any of the softer emotions that were able to smooth away the rough edges of her father. Though her father could be a hard man, he was able to bend and loved his mate and children with fierceness it would be difficult to rival.

  Even though she would be tied to Liam forever, Melody would prefer to go without love than to suffer unrequited feelings for the rest of her life. She’d never be able to handle that type of heartbreak.

  So the next morning, Melody decided the easiest way to deal with Liam was not to deal with him at all. When her mother came into the room, she pulled the covers over her head and groaned.

  “Sweetie, Liam is waiting for you downstairs.”

  “I’m sick. Please give him my regrets,” Melody said in a reedy voice.

  “Melody, I don’t think this is the way to handle Liam. This isn’t going to work.”

  Melody could hear the worry in her mother’s voice, but she twitched the covers down to glare at her mother with one eye. “I’m sick!”

  Her mother sighed loudly. “All right, dear, but I go on record as saying this is a bad idea.”

  Melody didn’t even bother to answer as she heard her mother go out the door. She quickly got up and ran to the bathroom to get a washcloth and run it under the water. She pressed the hot wet cloth to her face then dropped it in the sink, diving back under the covers as she heard Liam’s tread on the stairs.

  Hopefully her face would feel hot and damp.

  “Your mother says you are unwell, little mate,” Liam said as he entered the room.

  Melody groaned in response and clutched her stomach a little as she sat up. “I’m so sorry, Liam, I think I have a fever. We’ll have to get together another day,” she said weakly.

  Liam stroked a hand lightly over her face, frowning. “You are very warm. Your tummy is upset, little mate?”

  “Yes. I feel terrible,” she said as miserably as she could.

  “You rest right here, little one. I’ll be right back,” Liam said gently.

  Melody leaned back against the headboard biting back a grin; that had been even easier than she thought.

  Liam quickly returned with a small bag. She watched curiously as he sat down next to her and began to pull things out of it and set them on the bedside table.

  When she saw the Vaseline container and the larger-than-normal thermometer,
her belly clenched in trepidation.

  “What’s that for?” she asked nervously.

  “To take your temperature. I must make sure it’s not high enough to call the doctor.”

  Melody felt her eyes widen in alarm as he rolled up his shirtsleeves; hopefully, she opened her mouth wide.

  “Oh no, little mate, I’m not taking your temperature that way. I don’t find oral temperatures to be all that reliable. Ramelians have always taken temperatures of their mates anally. It’s the best way to ensure a healthy mate and a happy home.”

  “No! There is no way you’re sticking that up my…” she screamed in alarm as Liam stopped her protest by pulling her struggling form over his knee and yanking down her pajama bottoms and panties. “Stop! You can’t do this!”

  Liam chuckled as he spread her bottom cheeks apart and pressed a lubed finger against her anus. “Not only can I—I am, little mate. Stop making such a fuss. For someone who was feeling so bad a moment ago, you are certainly animated right now.”

  Melody squealed as his finger sank inside her tight hole, burning and stretching it open as he worked it slowly in and out of her. This was beyond embarrassing! Her entire body was probably bright red, she was so mortified.

  She breathed a sigh of relief when he pulled out his finger, only to squeal again when she felt the cold glass thermometer slide in to replace it. He thrust it in and out a few times, then twirled it inside her before holding it firmly in place.

  Tears of humiliation leaked from her eyes. She should have listened to her mother; playing sick was a really bad idea.

  Finally the ordeal was almost over and he pulled the thermometer out. “Hmmm, no fever, but you said your stomach was hurting so perhaps an enema would make you feel better.”

  An enema! “No! I’m fine! I was faking! Please don’t give me an enema, Liam!” Melody wailed in alarm from her position, still resting over his knee.

  Liam lifted her to stand in front of him, her pjs and panties still resting underneath the curve of her bottom cheeks and leaving her bare to his gaze. “I ought to give you the enema to show you what happens when naughty girls play sick. This time I won’t, but if you ever pretend illness with me again, young lady, you will receive everything you deserve.”

  Melody sagged against him in relief. “Yes, sir. I’m sorry.”

  “You’re about to be a little more sorry,” Liam said before toppling her back over his knee and bringing his hand down hard on her upturned bottom.

  Melody jerked as his hand landed on her vulnerable backside. “Owwww! I’m sorry, I’ll never do it again! I promise!” she wailed.

  His hand fell again and again in no discernable rhythm, leaving stinging fire in its wake that was becoming all too familiar. Thankfully for Melody’s poor bottom, the spanking was over quickly and he stood her back in front of him again.

  “I will have no more of your foolishness, young lady. You will get ready and come downstairs with a smile to greet me so we can spend the day together. Am I understood?”

  “Yes, sir,” she said softly, surprised to find herself leaning toward him for comfort.

  Liam obliged and pulled her close for a hug, kissing her forehead. “You delight me, little mate, and I am well pleased with you, but do not push me further. You will not like the fruits of your labor.”

  “You forgive me for faking?” she asked nervously.

  Liam smiled at her. “You are always forgiven, little mate. I will see you downstairs in an hour, yes?”

  “Yes.” Melody rubbed her bottom as she watched him go; she would have to think of another way to deal with him for the rest of the day. Really, she just didn’t want to be alone with him.

  She needed to ensure they had no privacy and the best way to do that was to take her younger siblings everywhere they went for the rest of the day. The three nine-year-olds and two seven-year-olds could make even the most skilled parents quaver with fear, except of course their own. They could also exhaust an army.

  Chapter Six

  Melody appeared with a bright smile for Liam. If he’d known his mate better, he would have known it was a smile to be wary of.

  “Good morning,” she chirped.

  “Good morning, little mate, you look well rested,” he said with a smile as he leaned down to kiss her, but before he could make contact, the sound of a herd of running feet pounded down the stairs toward them with excited yells. Sassy led the way, nearly knocking him down with her eagerness to greet him.

  Liam blinked at the group of children that skidded to halt in front of him with expectant faces.

  “Melly said you were taking us all to the zoo!” Maggie told him excitedly.

  “And for a picnic!” This from Mandy, usually quietest of all the commander’s offspring.

  “Then we’ll fly kites in the park,” Ransom said with a twinkle in his bright green eyes.

  The commander’s mate followed her children down the stairs and smiled hugely at Liam. “Thank you so much for taking the children on this outing. I can’t tell you how excited they all are, and I’m looking forward to a day alone with their father.”

  Liam forced himself to smile as the commander’s mate squeezed his arm before she kissed all of her children goodbye. He glanced over at his little mate and the guileless smile on her face and gritted his teeth; this would be a long day, but if his little mischief maker thought she’d outmaneuvered him, she had another think coming.

  The day would eventually end and before it was all said and done he’d have her alone. Liam smiled with satisfaction as he pictured her lovely bare bottom across his knee for an entirely different type of spanking, as he continued her education in what it was to be his mate.

  * * *

  Liam’s eyes nearly crossed as once again he looked up to see Ransom climbing another animal’s enclosure. This time it was the black bears. Instead of climbing after him, Liam used the transfer beam on his belt and transported the boy to stand in front of him.

  Ransom blinked up at his future bond brother in confusion.

  Before he even had Ransom successfully back on the ground, he looked over to see the twins climbing the dangerously high giraffe statue like a couple of monkeys. It looked like the transfer belt would get a lot of use today.

  Keeping up with the commander’s high-energy children was like trying to corral a bunch of wild animals; through it all, his little mate kept that same beatific smile. He hoped she enjoyed the fire that inevitably came from playing with matches.

  By the time they’d finished flying kites in the park, he’d fished all of the children out of the lake at least twice and he’d fished Melody out once. Apparently, his little mate wanted him to think she was as much a wild little hooligan as her younger siblings.

  “Why don’t we get some ice cream on the way home?” Melody suggested with a grin.

  A chorus of cheers rang throughout the van.

  “Only well-behaved children get ice cream,” Liam informed them with a frown, and their cheers immediately turned to boos.

  “They didn’t mean to misbehave, Liam,” Melody said hesitantly, a guilty flush filling her cheeks; he hoped she did feel guilty for using her little brother and sisters so shamelessly. Now they were being punished for behavior she’d encouraged.

  Obviously used to negotiating, Maggie stepped into the breach. “But Melly said—”

  Mandy elbowed her hard. “Hush!”

  Liam glanced at Melody out of the corner of his eye, watching her fidget nervously. The reason for the outlandish behavior of the commander’s children was making more and more sense; he’d been ambushed.

  His jaw tightened with resolve. “You’re right, Melly, I’ll get the little loves their ice cream because we both know who the real mischief maker has been today, don’t we?”

  A dull flush quickly spread up from her neck to fill her cheeks with color. Melody didn’t answer and instead started staring pointedly at the floorboard of the van, which only served to confirm his suspicions.r />
  When he pulled up to the local ice cream parlor, Melody started to get out of the van with her siblings. Liam stopped her. “I don’t think so; as I said, badly behaving children don’t get ice cream. They get something we’ll be discussing in depth later. You sit right where you are and don’t move.” He picked her up, sat her back in her seat, and shut the door.

  * * *

  Melody watched in shock and no little embarrassment as Liam led the children into the ice cream parlor. All of her siblings looked back at her then up at Liam, obviously having heard his rebuke and understanding she was being punished for their behavior as well as her own.

  She knew promising the zoo, the picnic, and kite flying had been bad enough, but she’d also promised them all ice cream if they acted badly. Her parents would be horrified if they knew how shamelessly Melody had encouraged the misbehavior.

  Her father might spank her himself! And Melody knew she’d deserve it; she didn’t know what she’d been trying to prove today. At first she thought the day would exhaust him to the point he’d leave her alone, then Melody decided if she showed him how bad and unruly the children were in her family, he’d rethink wanting her as his mate.

  Melody actually felt her bottom cringe when she looked up and saw Liam and her siblings walking back with their ice cream. Why had she thought it such a good idea to try to thwart him?

  Liam gave her a knowing look as they all piled back into the van to drive home.

  The children were all very quiet on the way, pretending to be consumed by their treats, but Melody knew better. Usually a good dose of sugar had them bouncing all over the van and chattering like magpies. She again felt a twinge of guilt, knowing they were all upset about her being in trouble with Liam and unsure what exactly that would mean.